First-year head softball coach TJ Hubbard announced his inaugural signing class at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, and it features a highly touted class of nine individuals that hail from four states. All nine additions will come to UVU this fall and play softball for the Wolverines next season.
"I am very excited to announce our 2017 signing class and my first recruiting class at Utah Valley University," said Hubbard. "These future Wolverines will be a great addition to the group of student-athletes we currently have, and we expect them to contribute to our progress immediately."
Of Hubbard's nine 2017-18 newcomers, five are JUCO transfers and four are current high school seniors. Kaylee Bott (Spanish Fork, Utah/Salt Lake CC), Haylee Eskelson (Salt Lake City, Utah/College of Southern Idaho), Addie Jensen (Morgan, Utah/Salt Lake CC), Brianna Moeller (Phoenix, Arizona/Central Arizona College) and Madison Sisco (Las Vegas, Nevada/Salt Lake CC) are transfers and will enter their junior seasons at Utah Valley in 2017-18, while Peyton Angulo (Upland, California/Upland HS), Kierstyn Foley (Huntington Beach, California/Huntington Beach HS), Kiara Kennedy (Phoenix, Arizona/Desert Vista HS) and Linnah Rebolledo (Riverside, California/Ramona HS) will enter their freshmen campaigns.
"This incoming group brings a lot of versatility, athleticism, experience and competitive drive to Utah Valley softball," said Hubbard. "We are very grateful these nine young women chose Utah Valley to continue their education and softball career, and we look forward to watching them develop and help take our program to a higher level."
Bott, who played her high school ball at nearby Spanish Fork High School, was a second team all-conference performer as well as a first team all-tournament team selection for Salt Lake Community College during her freshman campaign last year. She also helped her Bruins to conference and region titles in 2016, as well as a third-place finish at nationals. During her prep days, the 5-foot-4 right-hander was also tabbed first team all-state, first team all-region, the Region 8 MVP and the 2015 Utah Valley Player of the Year after leading Spanish Fork High to the 2015 state title. After hitting .336 a year ago at SLCC with 18 stolen bases and 39 runs scored, Bott is currently batting .381 this year with 15 doubles, 18 stolen bags, 35 RBIs and 42 runs scored. The Spanish Fork native will play second base for the Wolverines.
Eskelson, who played high school softball at Salt Lake's Olympus HS, was tabbed an NFCA Academic All-American during her freshman year at CSI after batting .304 and helping her team to a second-place finish in conference and region play. This year the 5-7 right-hander is currently hitting .296 and slugging .407 for the Golden Eagles. In high school, Eskelson was a 4A All-Star, that was tabbed all-state and all-region two times apiece. The Salt Lake City native will play first base for UVU.
Jensen, who played for Morgan HS in high school, posted the second-lowest earned run average in the SWAC a season ago with a 1.82 ERA while pitching for SLCC. She also put up an impressive 13-1 record with nine complete games and 75 strikeouts in 107.2 innings of action during her freshman campaign. This season for the Bruins, she currently holds a 16-1 record with a 2.11 ERA, 11 complete games and 97 strikeouts in 106.1 innings. In high school, the 6-0 right-hander was an all-region performer during her tenure at Morgan HS. Jensen will toe the rubber in the circle for Utah Valley.
Moeller, who played high school softball at Phoenix's North Canyon High School, currently holds a .466 career batting average at Central Arizona College with 18 home runs, 72 extra-base hits, 125 runs scored and a whopping 140 RBIs in less than two seasons of action. After hitting .458 with nine homers, 41 extra-base hits and 76 runs batted in a season ago, the 5-8 left-handed hitter is batting .476 this season with nine home runs, 31 extra-base hits, 18 stolen bases and 64 RBIs. During her high school days, Moeller was tabbed the offensive player of the year in 2015 as well as the defensive player of the year in 2014. The Phoenix native will play outfield for the Wolverines.
Sisco, who played at Silverado High School during her prep days, posted a .319 batting average at Salt Lake CC a year ago with nine doubles, five home runs and 33 RBIs. This season, the 5-7 righty is currently batting at .510 with 15 homers, 10 doubles, 48 RBIs and 48 runs scored. She also holds an impressive 1.104 slugging percentage and a .603 on-base clip for the Bruins. At Silverado High School, she earned first and second team all-conference honors, as well as all-division accolades and State of Nevada Certificate of Recognition from Governor Brian Sandoval. Sisco will play third base for UVU.
Angulo will come to UVU from Upland High School in Upland, California, where she was a first-team All-Baseline League performer. She has also been tabbed the offensive MVP during her time at Upland and played club ball for the Corona Angels (2015-17) and Quakes Gold (2013-15). The 5-4 left-hander is currently hitting .393 during her senior season at Upland with nine doubles, three triples, one homer and 16 RBIs. Angulo will be a utility player for the Wolverines.
Foley will come to Orem from Huntington Beach HS in Huntington Beach, California, where she was an all-academic team selection in 2016. While at Huntington Beach High, she has also helped her team to the 2014 Sunset League Championship, as well as a first-place showing at the Arroyo Grande Tournament and a runner-up finish at the Michelle Carew Classic in 2016. The 5-10 righty has also played club ball for Clutch Up Academy (2016-17) and OC Elite (2015-16). Foley will catch for Utah Valley.
Kennedy is a current senior at Desert Vista HS in Phoenix, Arizona. During her prep career, she has been received all-section team and all-tribune team honors, as well as MVP accolades. She was also tabbed a 2017 FloSoftball Top-100 recruit and is currently batting .415 this season with five home runs, 26 RBIs, 20 runs scored and a .680 slugging percentage. The 5-7 right-hander also helped her high school team to a third-place finish at state, as well a club team Junior Cup Olympic Championship (with the EC Bullets). Kennedy will play third base for the Wolverines.
Rebolledo will come to Utah Valley from Ramona High School in Riverside, California, where she has been named a three-time All-CIF performer. She has also been selected as an All-Riverside County player three times, as well as a two-time River Valley League MVP. The 5-3 righty currently holds a .473 batting average during her senior campaign with nine homers and 30 RBIs. She also previously posted a.525 average last year, as well as a .471 batting clip during her sophomore season. Rebolledo will play shortstop for UVU.
James Warnick is an assistant sports information director at Utah Valley University. For more information about Wolverine athletics, visit WolverineGreen.com.